


I Think I See the Light

by thatwasahaiku



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Guardian Angels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-14
Updated: 2013-03-14
Packaged: 2017-12-05 06:35:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwasahaiku/pseuds/thatwasahaiku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>based off of this prompt: I've always had this Ziam relationship idea where Liam is a guardian angel or one where he used to be an angel but had fallen and met Zayn. Idk man just some kind of angel au</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Think I See the Light

Humans were funny creatures. That was the big revelation Liam had come by after his decades of wandering the earth. Humans were greedy and heartless and cruel; but they were also selfless and gentle and the most caring creatures Liam had ever seen.

 

There were times when Liam wished that he’d been human. Months when he prayed to the one that cast him down to take back what he’d done and make him a mortal. He’d come to appreciate humans and love them in the way only an angel of the Lord could and the times when he wished to be like them were always the hardest.

 

It’s always hard wishing to be something you’re not.

 

It’s even harder being in love with something you’re not, but that’s getting ahead of the story.

 

* * *

“Wake up, Li. You’re being reassigned” Liam opened his eyes to see one of his closest friends standing above him, wings out and everything.

 

“Niall!” Liam sprung out of the motel bed and ran to draw the window curtains shut. “You should know better by now” Liam felt no remorse as he chastised his superior; Niall was Niall. Despite his higher status, Liam saw Niall as his equal and knew that Niall felt the same.

 

“Oh, right.” The glow around Niall faded as he shifted to his human like form. “So, like I said. You’re being reassigned”

 

“But I’ve barely begun with the kid I have now” Liam plopped down back on the motel bed and looked up at Niall. “Why do they keep doing this to me?”

 

Niall tossed a manila folder into Liam’s lap. “Don’t ask me, mate. I just do what the big men upstairs tell me”

 

Instead of giving Niall a sassy reply, Liam opened up the folder and flipped through the pages inside.

 

“Zayn Malik?” Liam asked. “What’s so special about him?”

 

Liam didn’t understand why he was being transferred to watch over this new guy. From the looks of it Zayn had a good head on his shoulders and an even better life. His family cared about him and he was popular. The description led Liam to believe that Zayn was the person least in need of a guardian angel.

 

“I guess you’re just going to have to go meet him for yourself and find out” Niall hit Liam’s shoulder playfully with his fist. “Look, I’ve got to get going. You’re going to be alright getting there and settling in?”

 

“Yeah,” Liam spoke absentmindedly, still absorbed in the paperwork on his lap. “I know the drill”

 

* * *

The thing about being a guardian angel is that you’re not supposed to interact with your ward, patient, assignment, person, friend, or whatever. The rule was to only step in when it was absolutely necessary. Liam knew that and he abided by it as if his life depended upon it.

 

But Liam knew a handful of others who ignored this rule and befriended their assignments. They didn’t see the point of sneaking around, hiding behind trees to keep an eye on their targets. In the words of Niall, “it’s a lot easier to protect them from the inside,” like their job was some sort of secret undercover spy mission.

 

Even so, Liam wasn’t comfortable with getting to know his cases. He played things old school. And no, that did not mean he creeped around and hid behind trees. He was old fashioned and proud. Liam only revealed himself when it was a dire situation, learning long ago the mistake of trusting a human.

 

So of course Liam was prepared to take on his new case, Zayn Malik, just like he had all the others. He was going to study and observe and then once he realized why he’d been paired with Zayn, he would reveal himself and help Zayn.

 

His whole plan went to hell the day he arrived in London and checked in to a motel down the street from Zayn’s university.

 

* * *

 

While Liam wasn’t subject to human desires and needs, he found himself picking up some of their nasty bad habits, coffee, for example. So naturally as soon as Liam had moved his few meager belongings into his room he ventured out into the city streets for a decent coffee shop.

 

 After a while of wandering Liam came across what looked like a total dump, a complete hole in the wall. He felt drawn to the place, despite the grimy windows and out of date fliers on the door. Liam had learned to never ignore his gut feelings so with his teeth gritted he pushed the door open and the warmth from the shop inside enveloped him.

 

“Oi, Lou, we’ve got a customer!”

 

The first thing Liam realized upon walking into the shop was that it was empty. Not just your usual coffee shop empty where there were maybe one or two other patrons loitering about or waiting for their drinks. This place was empty. _Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to that gut feeling_ Liam thought to himself.

 

The barista behind the cash register seemed overly ecstatic about Liam’s presence; his energy was bouncing off the walls. It had been decades since Liam had interacted with a human this…happy. His curls framed his face in a way that reminded Liam of his brothers back home. ‘Curly’ or so the name card read, looked more like an angel than Liam ever would. A fact that Liam was surprised he didn’t mind.

 

“Welcome to your neighborhood shit-hole. Might as well turn around now” A voice called out from the back. Curly whipped around and Liam slid to the right to see where the voice was coming from. Another barista stepped out from a back room, tying an apron around his thin waist, still speaking. “And I mean that. Run while you can”

 

“Don’t listen to Lou” Curly’s confidence dragged Liam’s attention back to him. “This place is wonderful. Trust me”

 

Lou’s snort was rewarded by a surprisingly threatening growl from Curly.

 

“I’ll just have a regular coffee” Liam interrupted the nonverbal exchange going on behind the counter.

 

“One coffee, coming right up” Lou sighed as Curly pressed buttons on the cash register. Liam handed him the correct change before he could even ask.

 

“Will this be for here, or to go?”

 

Liam thought that one over for a moment. The only place he really had to go back to was his motel room, and the warmth of the coffee wouldn’t be worth walking around London with the bitter chill. “For here, if you don’t mind”

 

“Don’t mind at all” Curly gave him a wink.

 

Liam took a seat on one of the plush couches that were crammed into the small space. Not knowing what else to do he grabbed one of the newspapers that were carelessly strewn on the table beside the couch.

 

Liam flipped through the classifieds before tossing the newspaper aside. _Why didn’t I bring a book with me?_ Liam asked himself but before he could really wish for something to distract himself, Lou came over with a mug of hot coffee.

 

“Creamer and sugar is over on that counter” he nodded to a messy counter behind him on the far back wall. “But more importantly, I have a serious question for you,”

 

“Liam”

 

“I have a serious question for you, Liam”

 

“Ugh, okay?”

 

Fifteen minutes later Liam found himself listening to a heated discussion between the two other boys. What started as a question over who was better, the Silver Surfer or Flash ended up in a debate as to whether or not the new Star Trek movie was going to suck.

 

It had been a while since Liam had such a young assignment and judging from how well he was faring with these two, he was surprised how easy it was to get back into the swing of things.

 

Liam leaned back into the couch as Lou brought up another point to counter Curly’s argument. He was beginning to formulate his plan of action in the back of his mind. After he left the shop he was going to go back to his motel and double-check all of his research. Then pull some strings and get enrolled in the same uni that Zayn was attending. While he didn’t like to interact, there was no point in being this close to a school and not taking the opportunity. Liam loved the uni atmosphere and though he’d had enough schooling to obtain multiple degrees, there was always something new to learn. _But first, I need to find Zayn, get him on my radar_

 

“So when’s Zayn getting here?” That got Liam’s attention. _There’s no way_

 

“He said he’d be here by the time our shift was over”

 

“Which gives him about…” Lou looked at his bare wrist, “fifteen minutes”

 

Curly checked the estimation with his phone. “God, it’s creepy how you do that”

 

“What can I say, it’s a gift”

 

“Doesn’t explain how you’re always late, though”

 

“Just because I know the time doesn’t mean I abide by it.” Lou pulled himself off the couch and ambled back over to the counter. “He should really be here by now,” he said more to himself than anything else.

 

“Lou, relax. Everything’s going to work out. He’s just running late. This meeting is important and he knows it. It’s not everyday we get a chance at a flat like this”

 

The door opened and Liam felt his heart drop. Curly leapt off the couch and sprung to hug the person who just walked in.

 

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late”

 

“You’re not late!” Curly cried as he hugged the stranger.

 

“Thirteen minutes to spare” Lou called from the back.

 

Liam knew without even having to look up from his mug that this was his Zayn. He didn’t understand that this was actually happening- this sort of thing had never happened to him before. He was always cautious to the extreme. _I’m never drinking coffee again_

 

“What’s this, you guys actually have a customer?” Liam still didn’t look up, feigning ignorance to his surrounding.

 

“Don’t be surprised. My lattes are to die for”

 

“Yeah, die. As in literally”

 

“Piss off, Lou”

 

Liam could sense Zayn drawing near, could feel his feet moving closer and closer to the couch. Even with his eyes locked on the chipped rim of the mug, Liam could tell where Zayn was, a nice bonus of him being his guardian angel. It was a skill Liam usually loved, the deep connection he had with his assignments. But in this case, he cursed the bond.

 

“I should probably apologize” Zayn’s thick voice came from right above him. Liam took a deep breath and then looked up. He was an angel of the Lord; he shouldn’t be scared over one little human.

 

But this wasn’t just some little human. Zayn Malik was more real than Liam could have ever imagined. He was tall, and not just because he was towering over Liam. He had a tall presence, commanded attention. But from the way he held himself, the shoulders slightly hunched over, Liam could tell that he didn’t like the attention. He accepted it but preferred to be in the shadows. Liam knew Zayn; he knew that he had a strong love for comic books and hated anything to do with math; a good thing seeing as he’d just finished his last math course the previous term. Liam knew what Zayn was like; it was his job. But in this first interaction Liam was blown away with the realization that he didn’t know Zayn at all. Sure, the manila folder lying on the motel bed told him all about Zayn, but he still didn’t know _Zayn._ Liam didn’t know what made him tick, what product he used to style that stupidly adorable quiff, or why and how he became friends with the two jokers behind the counter.

 

Liam wanted to know Zayn, to understand him, much more than he’d ever wanted to know and understand a human before. It all took Liam’s breath away.

 

“Apologize?” Liam didn’t know how he managed the words.

 

“For them” Zayn jerked his head back at where Curly and Lou were now play fighting over something.

 

“Oh, no need” Liam smiled brightly up at Zayn.  Every fiber in his being was yelling at him to run. Run away before Zayn got interested and asked his name. Run away before Liam made a mistake and kept up the interaction. Even so, Liam couldn’t help but let a bit of his cover slip and his natural light shine through. Despite himself he wanted to impress Zayn. He wanted Zayn to like him, to want to be friends with him. “They’re…” Liam searched for the right word, “entertaining”

 

Zayn let out a laugh that did funny things to Liam’s stomach. All of Liam’s nerves were on edge, this was too much for him to handle. This wasn’t the way he did things. How was he supposed to fix this mistake? _Do I even want to?_

 

“Entertaining. That’s certainly a word to describe Harry and Louis”

 

Harry and Louis. It suddenly all clicked in Liam’s mind. They were Zayn’s closest friends. How could he have been so careless?

 

“Oi, you making fun of us?” Curly-Harry- called out, clearly offended.

 

“Making fun of you?” Zayn winked at Liam. “Never”

 

“I smell bullshit,” Louis said in a childish singsong voice.

 

Zayn just rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out to Liam. “Hi, I’m Zayn and these two idiots, for some reason, are my best friends”

 

“I know” Liam took his hand and shook it. He chalked the warm feeling that shot through his fingers and the weird sense of peace that settled deep within his soul to the nerves.

 

“You know?” Zayn questioned, still grabbing onto Liam’s hand.

 

“I mean…they were just talking about you. I put two and two together. And I’m Liam” Backtracking and improv were not some of Liam’s finer talents.

 

“Of course they were. They’re obsessed with me. And it’s a pleasure to meet you, Liam” Liam tried not to focus on the fact that they were still shaking hands.

 

* * *   
“What do you mean, you’ve messed up?”

 

“I mean I messed up, Niall! That’s what messed up means”

 

“But how could you mess up? You’ve only been on this case for a month.”

 

“I just…” Liam fell back on his bed and let his cellphone slip out of his hands and onto the pillow. How could he describe to Niall his situation when he didn’t even understand it himself?

 

“Li? Liam? You still there?”

 

Liam sighed and picked the phone back up. “Yeah, I’m here, I just don’t know how to explain what’s going on”

 

Niall was silent for a moment and then, “You’ve talked to him, haven’t you?”

 

“Maybe…yes…yes I have” Liam recalled their first meeting at the coffee shop and the fact that Zayn’s room was now right next to his in the flat that he now shared with Zayn, Harry, and Louis. “And maybe a bit more”

 

“A bit more? Define ‘a bit more’”

 

“Well I-”

 

“Leeyum! We’re home! And we’ve got takeout!” Harry’s voice just outside Liam’s door distracted him for a moment.

 

“You did not”

 

Niall’s voice was drowned out by Louis bellowing, “Liam, we’ve got your food now get your incredibly fit arse out here this instant or you’re not getting anything”

 

“Be there in a second!” Liam called out and the in a hushed whisper into his phone, “look, I can explain”

 

“Oh, please do. I can’t wait to hear how the most rule abiding angel managed to”

 

There was a knock on Liam’s door. “It’s open, Zayn” Liam covered up the mouthpiece on his phone and grinned meekly as Zayn perked his head into the room.

 

“How do you always know it’s me?”

 

Liam just shrugged. “What’s up?”

 

“Food’s here”

 

“I noticed”

 

Zayn stepped further inside the room with a plate of Liam’s favorite.

 

“And this is why you’re my favorite” Liam sighed dreamily.

 

Zayn waved off the compliment as he sat down on the edge of Liam’s bed. “Just trying to help out. You’ve been so stressed lately”

 

Liam tried not to focus on the fact that Zayn could tell that Liam had been stressed. It was a surprisingly comforting thing for someone to know Liam as well as Zayn did. Well, at least the person Liam was pretending to be.

 

“Liam, you there?”

 

_Crap_ Liam had totally forgotten about Niall on the phone as soon as Zayn had come into the room. Close proximity with Zayn had a tendency to do that to Liam and he had no idea why.

 

“Hey, I’m going to have to call you back, okay?”

 

“Don’t you dare hang up on me!”

 

“Bye Niall!” Liam was only slightly guilty as he hung up and tossed the phone onto the pillow behind him. “So how did your exam go?” Liam took the plate of food from Zayn’s hands and inhaled deeply.

 

“Better than I expected. Don’t think I would have done that well if you hadn’t helped me so much with revising”

 

“It was nothing” Liam used the fork Zayn handed him to scoop up a bite of the Pad Thai.

 

“Seriously though, you’re like an angel” Liam choked on his bite. He knew that Zayn had no idea but still. Zayn patted him hard on the pack. “Alright, I’ll leave you be” he knocked his shoulder into Liam’s playfully. “We’ll be playing FIFA if you need us”

 

Liam just nodded as Zayn left the room, closing the door gently behind him. _I wonder how long I can go without calling Niall back…_

 

* * *

 

Even four months into his assignment with Zayn Liam had to admit that he didn’t understand why Zayn needed a guardian angel in the first place. Sure, Zayn had his fair share of struggles. His parents weren’t too keen on his moving to London and switching universities, he struggled to pay his share of the rent every once in a while, and then there were all the troubles that came with being an attractive human with his heart on his sleeve.

 

“I just don’t understand. Why would she do this?” Zayn mumbled into Liam’s shoulder. “I thought…I thought she…”

 

“Shhh, it’s okay” Liam moved a hand soothingly across Zayn’s back. “Everything is going to be okay” They were curled up together in Liam’s bed. Zayn had just been out on a date with a brilliant girl, one that Liam thought would be good for him. Liam hated being wrong. He was supposed to be guarding Zayn, preventing him from heartache, not helping cause it. “I know what you thought and I’m just so sorry”

 

He truly was sorry. Liam was absolutely gutted. Having a heartbroken Zayn in his arms was the literal worst. Zayn’s pain was his pain. They were connected and Liam wanted to cry at Zayn’s heartbreak, but no. He had to be strong for Zayn; it was his job to be strong.

 

But how anyone could do this to Zayn, how anyone could be so cruel and heartless, it made Liam’s blood boil. Liam wasn’t one for vengeance; he wasn’t that type of angel. He was a kind and gentle hearted angel. However as he helped Zayn to his feet and back into his room, as he made Zayn a cup of tea just the way he liked it, all Liam wanted to do was find the damn girl and make her pay. The feeling was so strong that Liam honestly didn’t know what to do with himself. He blamed it on the fact that he’d grown close to Zayn; they had an actual bond. _I’m sure everyone else who interacts with their cases have these feelings too. It’s normal to feel like this._

 

“I don’t know what I would do without you, Liam” Zayn sniffed as he accepted the mug of tea, “you’re too good to me”

 

Liam, as always, just shrugged in response _. It’s just my job_ he thought. Out loud he said, “Let me know if you need anything”

 

“I will. Thank you, Liam”

 

* * *

 

Liam slammed the front door shut behind him as he rushed in to get out of the torrential downpour outside. He was soaked to the bone. _Feels just like it did with Noah_ he mumbled to himself as he tried and failed to untangle the scarf around his neck.

 

“Liam, is that you?” Liam paused what he was doing, rain soaked scarf hanging limply around his neck, sticking to his skin.

 

“Hello?” It was Zayn’s voice, but Zayn was supposed to be out of town. He was supposed to be back in Bradford. It was the holidays, a time to be spent with family and loved ones.

 

Zayn poked his head out from around the wall. “I was wondering when you were gonna get in. Hurry up and get packed.”

 

“I…packed?” It was a rare occurrence that Liam was ever confused and man, was he confused.

 

“Your bags? Pack them?” Zayn walked back into the kitchen, disappearing from sight. “Our train leaves in about three hours so you should have just enough time to get your things together and shower before we leave. Hopefully the weather will be cleared up by then”

 

“Zayn, what are you talking about?” Liam had an inkling but _no way. Zayn wouldn’t do that. We’re close, but not **that** close_

 

“To my house? In Bradford?” Zayn returned to the hallway, a freshly washed bowl and towel to dry it in his hands. “You’re coming with me”

 

“No I’m not,” Liam said dumbly. “I’m staying here”

 

“Liam, you can’t be by yourself for the holidays. Do you know how…sad that is?”

 

“I do have other friends you know. I wasn’t…I had plans” It stung to lie to Zayn, but Liam was used to it by now. The stronger their bond, the more Liam had to lie.

 

As each day passed the two had grown closer and closer. Liam hadn’t thought anything by it. In fact, he’d grown to love the bond he and Zayn shared. He didn’t think twice about anything, he just did. If his gut told him to sling his arm around Zayn’s shoulder, he did. If his instinct was telling him to distract the others so Zayn could have some peace and quiet to work, he did. If he figured that Zayn wanted someone to go out and get pissed with, he was right there by Zayn’s side. Liam was beginning to understand why his peers interacted with their assignments; it was fun. To be seen as a friend, to be valued and have a presence that was wanted, it was all so new to Liam.

 

Many nights he lay in his bed, wondering if it was meant to be, him befriending Zayn. He told himself that it was, recalling as he rolled over the strange feeling of confidence and assurance as he walked into the coffee shop that very first afternoon. Guarding over Zayn was unlike any other assignment Liam ever had because it wasn’t hard. It was pure and effortless. It was like he’d been created for this very assignment.

 

That being said, Liam still didn’t want to get too close to Zayn. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was reassigned and he would never see Zayn again. As much fun as he was having actually living a life he’d always wanted, Liam was cautious. Sure he could take care of Zayn and be with Zayn, but he had to be careful. If Zayn got too attached, or even worse, if Liam got too attached, things wouldn’t end well for either of them.

 

“Sounds to me like you’re lying.”

 

“I’m not lying, I swear. I was…I was going to meet up with my friend Niall”

 

“Niall?” Zayn rolled his eyes at Liam still struggling to get out of his wet clothes. “Here, let me.” He set the bowl down on the ground and moved forward to help Liam.

 

The immediate warmth that Zayn’s touch sent through Liam’s body, it was just because of their bond. That’s what Liam told himself. _It’s just because I’m his angel._

 

“How come you’ve never mentioned a Niall before?”

 

“I haven’t?” Liam twisted around to get out of the jacket sleeves. “Are you sure?”

 

“Quite positive. You don’t talk about anyone, really.” Zayn took the jacket from Liam’s hands and hung it up on Liam’s hook by the door.

 

It was only then that Liam realized he didn’t talk about anyone. He never talked about himself, a few random facts here and there, maybe, but nothing of substance. How had Liam not noticed?

 

“Oh…” what was the socially acceptable thing to say in this situation? Sorry, I’m a guardian angel of the Lord and I can’t really talk to you about my personal life. Or maybe hey my best friend is and angel, just like me, and that’s why he’s never here.

 

“I’ll go ahead and throw these in the dryer. You go shower and pack”

 

“But, won’t your parents mind?” Liam stared at Zayn, shivering in his wet shirt and jeans. “I mean…they don’t know me”

 

Zayn blushed and shook his head. “Liam, from how much I talk about you, they know you. Trust me, mum has been asking you to visit for months”

 

Zayn’s parents had been asking him to visit. Zayn had told them about him. They knew who Liam was. They wanted to meet Liam.

 

Liam walked mindlessly to the bathroom and switched on the shower. _I’m in too deep_

 

* * *

Liam had always known that time flew by fast. At times it seemed like all he did was blink and a century had gone by. That was exactly how Liam felt when he was woken up one Thursday morning by all three of his flatmates jumping on his bed.

 

“Liam, get up!”

 

“Wake up!”

 

“I’m not going to yell, instead I’m just going to cuddle”

 

“Zayn, you’re such a spoilsport”

 

Liam’s arm went instinctively around Zayn’s torso as he cuddled into Liam’s side. The blush was hard to keep from his cheeks, but Liam was used to holding his emotions in. “And why are you all in my bed this dreadful morning?”

 

“Dreadful? Did you hear that Lou?”

 

“Indeed I did! He called today dreadful. What a shame! The very nerve of him”

 

“It’s our anniversary” Zayn mumbled into Liam’s shoulder. It was then that Liam realized he was shirtless and Zayn too was shirtless. Why that made his stomach flip, Liam had no idea. But Liam was pretty sure they were feelings he shouldn’t be feeling and sat up quickly, careful though as to not let Zayn’s head hit the wall.

 

“Our anniversary?” Liam raised an eyebrow at the other boys.

 

“One year ago today you walked into our dreadful coffee shop” Louis started

 

“Ordered a regular coffee” Harry took over,

 

“And fell in love” Zayn sighed.

 

Liam nearly choked. “I fell in love?”

 

“With us, you twat” Louis smacked Liam upside the head.

 

“Yeah, it’s been a year since we’ve all been friends! Or at least, since you’ve been friends with us” Harry was nearly bouncing off the walls with energy. “Now come on, get out of bed. It’s time we go do something to celebrate”

 

“How about we go back to sleep?” Zayn had curled up under Liam’s blanket and Liam didn’t want to think about how natural Zayn looked there in his bed. Instead he turned and cocked an eyebrow at the others.

 

“Well?” And then next thing Liam knew his small bed was filled with three other bodies. Limbs were everywhere and Liam hadn’t been this squished in a while. And yet, Liam wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world.

 

He turned his head and there was Zayn, looking right at him. “Happy Anniversary, Liam”

 

Liam swallowed thickly. “You too”

 

* * *

“Hey Liam, someone sent you a postcard. Who do you know from Ireland?”

 

“Let me see that” Liam grabbed the postcard from Zayn, and flipped it over.

 

**L,**

**  
still waiting on that phone call**

**-N xxxxx**

 

For whatever reason Liam didn’t notice the way Zayn watched him leave the room, post card in hand. Harry and Louis did however notice, though they didn’t bring it up until one night when they all went out.

 

“So Liam, how about we find you a nice girl tonight” Harry slurred, three drinks in and already tipsy.

 

Liam stared blankly at him.

 

“Or a nice guy. Doesn’t matter really” Louis threw one arm around Liam’s shoulder and with the other gestured to the dance floor. “The sea is filled with fish for your taking”

 

Liam laughed at Louis while he slid himself out from Louis’ grip. “Thanks, but I’m not interested”

 

“So you are taken” Louis shoved his drunk finger in Liam’s face. “I knew it!”

 

“No, I-”

 

“It’s that N person, isn’t it?”

 

“No, really. I’m single. Single, single, single; the definition of Liam Payne.” Liam knew he was rambling but he had to shut these two down fast. It was only a matter of time before they turned their matchmaking sights on him, and Liam was surprised that it had taken them over a year to do it.

 

“Interesting…” Harry sucked on the straw to his gin and tonic.

 

“Wot?”

 

“You owe me” Louis elbowed Harry in the side.

 

“What’re you two going on about? What sortta bet have you made?”

 

“Oh, look, here comes Zayn.” Harry pointed to where Zayn was leaving the bar and what looked like some blonde hanging.

 

Once again, Liam was completely oblivious to the knowing looks shared between Harry and Louis. All he cared about was making sure Zayn was okay.

 

* * *

 

Knocks on Liam’s bedroom door at dreadful hours of the night were things he’d grown accustomed to. Usually it was just a drunken Louis or Harry wanting a cuddle. Sometimes it was Zayn. But one night as Liam was jerked awake, he felt a searing pain in the pit of his stomach, like he was being gutted. There was a feeble knocking on his door.

 

He jumped out of bed, slipping into a pair of trainers and grabbing one of Zayn’s jumpers that had been lying on the ground and threw it on over his bare chest. The door opened to reveal Zayn, curled up on the floor just outside the door.

 

“It hurts, Li”

 

“I know, come here” Liam didn’t even have to ask what was wrong, he could feel it. He knew that if he didn’t get Zayn to the hospital as soon as possible…well there wasn’t other option.

 

Zayn’s pain was his pain and it was excruciating.

 

Liam was in near hysterics by the time he arrived at the emergency room. He’d done all he could to take some of the pain away from Zayn, but it hadn’t been enough.  He hadn’t been enough. Liam hadn’t been able to do his job, the very thing he’d been created for.

 

Liam had failed.

 

Hours later found Liam sitting in one of the most uncomfortable waiting room chairs, chewing on his thumbnail. The nurses were being less than helpful, though luckily Liam had ways to go around them. He’d learned that Zayn was in critical condition and it was uncertain as to whether or not he was going to survive the night.

 

He’d stayed with Zayn, in spirit, all the way through surgery. He’d held tightly onto Zayn’s hand the entire way. No one had been able to see him, except for Zayn if he’d been awake. It wouldn’t have been the most ideal reveal, but Liam didn’t care. He wanted Zayn to know that he was there, that he would always be there.

 

It was as he sat in that damn chair that Liam finally breathed a sigh of relief. He loved Zayn. He fell in love with a human. That’s why he cared so much. Not because Zayn was his assignment. Not just because Zayn was his friend. Liam cared because over the months of shared secrets and jokes Liam had fallen in love with the human. He hated himself for it, but Liam knew he wouldn’t change it for the world.

 

“You know, you still haven’t called me back” Liam opened his eyes to see a blonde nurse standing in front of him, clipboard in hand.

 

“Nice getup.”

 

“You think?” Niall spun around on his heels, giving Liam the full effect. “It is a nice color on me, what can I say”

 

Liam smiled weakly before letting his lips fall back into their frown.

 

“Look, I know why you’re here”

 

Liam rolled his eyes. “Come to reprimand me then? Give me a reassignment?” He spat out a chuckle. “Right after I loose the one I…” he tightened his hands into fists. The words wouldn’t even come out of his mouth. What was the point in vocalizing his love if it wasn’t going to do anything? Even if Zayn survived, they could never be together.

 

“Hey,” Niall placed a callused hand on top of Liam’s fist. “I understand”

 

Liam blinked away tears, “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I do. That’s why I was moved up”

 

“I…what?”

 

Niall ran his fingers through his hair, sighing, “Do you remember Josh?”

 

Liam shook his head. It had been a while since Niall had ever talked about his own cases. “Maybe?”

 

“Well, Josh was my Zayn”

 

“Oh”

 

“Yeah. About…four years ago?” Niall counted on his fingers, “Yeah. A little over four years.”

 

The puzzle pieces began to click together. “Wasn’t that the same time you were promoted?”

 

“It was the reason I was promoted?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Look, someone higher up is going to come and visit you and explain it to you in detail, but basically you’re going to end up being promoted so you can be with Zayn. It’s meant to be; you two were made for each other”

 

“But…” There were so many things running around in Liam’s mind. The fact that Zayn was in a room a couple hundred feet away possibly dying and there was nothing Liam could do about it; the fact that he’d spent his entire life thinking that he was meant to walk the earth alone and yet here he was being told that he was made for someone; the fact that Liam was an angel and Zayn was a human so there was no way it could ever work.

 

“I know what you’re going to say, and there’s a choice. They’re not going to give it to you for a while, seeing as they haven’t even given it to me yet, but it’s a choice. This,” Niall gestured in the general direction of Zayn’s hospital room, “Or what you’ve always known”

 

“So it won’t be a choice at all, will it?” Liam’s thumbnail was back in his mouth.

 

“It’s not for me, and guessing by how you’re taking this, it won’t be for you”

 

* * *

 

“You know, I had the weirdest dream last night. It was like, déjà vu or something”

 

“Oh yeah?” Liam curled in tighter to Zayn’s side. He wrapped an arm around Zayn’s middle and pressed a kiss into his tattooed collarbone. “Tell me about it”

 

“It was back when I was in the hospital” Liam shuddered, a time he never wanted to think about again. “And…” Zayn took Liam’s hand with one of his own and played with his fingers. “And you were there”

 

“Which I was” Liam giggled and kept kissing Zayn’s bare skin

 

“No, you dork” Zayn kissed Liam on the top of the head. “I mean like in surgery”

 

Liam froze.

 

“It was the weirdest thing. It was like I was floating in and out of consciousness, and you were there the entire time, holding my hand” he lifted their entwined hands as example. “But you…you weren’t you. You were…light. And you were warm. I was so warm because you were there. And….and… oh god, I sound like an idiot”

 

“No,” Liam whispered into the crook of Zayn’s neck. “Go on” even though he was too scared to hear what was to come.

 

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

 

“On my life”

 

“So I was lying there, on my deathbed, feeling more alone than I ever had before. My life was dragging before my eyes, not flashing. It was slow and painful. But then I felt something grab my hand and I looked and it was you, like I said earlier. But you were big and you had wings.” Zayn’s voice died out for a moment.

 

Liam was holding his breath.

 

“You were like an angel. You were my guardian angel.” Zayn twisted his head to look Liam in the eye. “Now you can’t laugh, alright?”

 

Liam answered by kissing Zayn deeply on the lips.

 

“I’d be your guardian angel any day” 


End file.
